I´m between the Xotic Bass BB Preamp and EBS Multidrive! Help me!

Fernando F · #1 10-31-2007, 05:58 PM

What can you tell me about it? Wich one is the best for you?
I looking for another Grind box (Already have a Fulltone Bass Drive and a Barber LTD). I do like the samples at the EBS web site. But I did not find XOTIC sound clips (at their web site, the videos does not show enough).
So I need your help again!

assboglin · #2 10-31-2007, 09:51 PM

Well, I've owned both, and they're both good pedals. I did some more samples for the EBS Multidrive here EBS Multidrive SOUNDCLIPS if you're interested.

For me the Xotic is a little easier to deal with because of it's EQ. It's more gritty, but also dark and burly sounding. The main problem I had with it is that it got mushier on the E string compared to the nice bitier sound I got with it on the A string and up. I preferred it's sound playing with a pick, otherwise it could get too dark and burly for what I wanted.

The EBS is a more buzzy sounding distortion pedal, especially at higher gain settings. It can also have too much bass, and roll off the highs quite a bit, so you may need an extra EQ of some sort with it, which is inconvenient, though I've used it on lighter settings without one just fine. I think it is far superior to the Xotic in the way it responds to different playing techniques, if your technique is varied, check out the samples I did with various techniques.

Both pedals are darker sounding than your Bass Drive, for example, and if I remember right the Xotic was the darkest sounding one.

Hope that helps.

benmoore88 · #3 10-31-2007, 11:24 PM

I haven't tried the xotic but i have a bassdrive - which i love and use all teh time. i also bought a ebs multidrive and it realyl didnt' do it for me. it does have a darker tone then the bassdrive but i found that i really noticed a loss in low end a lot more than with my bassdrive.
maybe it was just my setup but i couldnt' see what all the fuss was about with it. used it 1 gig ( well half really coz after first time i stood on it and my bass disapppeared i was a lot more hesitant to use it) then it got relegated to practises and now it doesnt' even get to them...

sunbeast · #4 11-01-2007, 12:25 AM

+1 for the Xotic- the EQ is really handy to control the harshness that drive pedals can add (they don't neccesarily cut bass somuch as add lots of mids/highs- so having a bass knob can help balance the levels again). I would generally set mine with the bass at about 2 o'clock and the treble at 11 o'clock or so (gain at about 10:30-11), and it gave a very thick tubey drive. It can get a little buzzy/harsh sounding at gain settings above 12 if your bass has high output though- better for slightly gritty sounds. The EBS clips I've heard never appealed much to me- sounds pretty close to my modified Tubescreamer. I think the EQ puts the Xotic ahead...

Karl

Fernando F · #5 11-01-2007, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by assboglin

Well, I've owned both, and they're both good pedals. I did some more samples for the EBS Multidrive here EBS Multidrive SOUNDCLIPS if you're interested.

For me the Xotic is a little easier to deal with because of it's EQ. It's more gritty, but also dark and burly sounding. The main problem I had with it is that it got mushier on the E string compared to the nice bitier sound I got with it on the A string and up. I preferred it's sound playing with a pick, otherwise it could get too dark and burly for what I wanted.

The EBS is a more buzzy sounding distortion pedal, especially at higher gain settings. It can also have too much bass, and roll off the highs quite a bit, so you may need an extra EQ of some sort with it, which is inconvenient, though I've used it on lighter settings without one just fine. I think it is far superior to the Xotic in the way it responds to different playing techniques, if your technique is varied, check out the samples I did with various techniques.

Both pedals are darker sounding than your Bass Drive, for example, and if I remember right the Xotic was the darkest sounding one.

Hope that helps.

I´ve listened to your samples and really like, what´s the bass you used on the record? Did you use anything else or just the EBS MD? did you use amp or line?
I´m curious about one thing: the Xotic set to flat has a good low end passage, or you need to boost the bass on the pedal? Do you have any samples of the Xotic?

You are very helpfull! thanks!

assboglin · #6 11-01-2007, 11:11 AM

The EBS samples are done with a Fender MIA Jazz Bass with Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders through an Ampeg V4BH, set clean so the drive comes from the pedal. I used a cabinet with a couple of 12's and an SM 57 microphone. I believe I had the pedal in the loop of my Xotic X-Blender, which was used to cut the bass a little, as I mentioned on higher gain settings the EBS can have too much bass.

If I remember correctly, when the EQ's on the Xotic BB are set flat (there are detents at flat) the bass response is decent, but you need to boost the bass a little bit to get it back to where it was with your clean signal. This is expected, because a distortion circuit can not cut bottom, but have every appearance of it because of the added harmonics that give you more presence in the upper frequencies, which will cause you to turn down the volume, and with it the bass, to have the same perceived volume clean signal to distortion.

Also I should mention the Xotic BB Preamp is the closest thing I've found in a pedal to the distortion I can get by cranking my Ampeg tube amp. So if you're interested in the Ampeg sound the BB gets my recommendation.

And no, unfortunately I never made any samples of the Xotic, and I don't still have it (needed money). I'd kind of like to pick one up again when I can though. And I've still got my EBS Multi Drive.

assboglin · #7 11-01-2007, 11:25 AM

Actually I'm not sure if I used an Ampeg V4BH or an Ampeg SVT-3 Pro. The Multidrive is different in that I actually prefer it with the SVT-3 Pro, which is not all tube; most distortion pedals I prefer through the V4BH, which is all tube.

Fernando F · #8 11-01-2007, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by assboglin

The EBS samples are done with a Fender MIA Jazz Bass with Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders through an Ampeg V4BH, set clean so the drive comes from the pedal. I used a cabinet with a couple of 12's and an SM 57 microphone. I believe I had the pedal in the loop of my Xotic X-Blender, which was used to cut the bass a little, as I mentioned on higher gain settings the EBS can have too much bass.

If I remember correctly, when the EQ's on the Xotic BB are set flat (there are detents at flat) the bass response is decent, but you need to boost the bass a little bit to get it back to where it was with your clean signal. This is expected, because a distortion circuit can not cut bottom, but have every appearance of it because of the added harmonics that give you more presence in the upper frequencies, which will cause you to turn down the volume, and with it the bass, to have the same perceived volume clean signal to distortion.

Also I should mention the Xotic BB Preamp is the closest thing I've found in a pedal to the distortion I can get by cranking my Ampeg tube amp. So if you're interested in the Ampeg sound the BB gets my recommendation.

And no, unfortunately I never made any samples of the Xotic, and I don't still have it (needed money). I'd kind of like to pick one up again when I can though. And I've still got my EBS Multi Drive.

Thanks again! but you didn´t tell me about the low end on the Xotic: with the pedal flat does it retains the low end or you need to boost the low to compensate?
Another question: For your purposes the EBS is a better choice? why did you sell the Xotic and kept the EBS?
I do love the sound of a Cranked SVT, what I´m looking for is light to medium overdrive, not distortion or fuzz, and I don´t wanna loose my bottom end!

assboglin · #9 11-01-2007, 02:32 PM

You need to boost the bass a little bit. But this is expected, because a distortion circuit can not cut bottom, but have every appearance of it because of the added harmonics that give you more presence in the upper frequencies, which will cause you to turn down the volume, and with it the bass, to have the same perceived volume clean signal to distortion. With a little bass EQ boost from the pedal, your bass will be intact with the Xotic.

I mostly sold the Xotic because I needed money. I used to sell a lot of pedals to support a nasty drinking habit. I've quit drinking, so I haven't needed to sell the EBS, and I guess that's what it really comes down to. But for me I think that the EBS is the better choice because of how well it responds to different playing techniques, in my opinion, and my technique is quite varied. However, I would be very curious to give the Xotic another go round now that I'm sober hahaha.

They're both great pedals, but very different, so it comes down to personal preference. Ideally you should try both and see which one fits you better, but if you can't do that I can make you an offer. If you decide on the Xotic and after playing it don't like it I'll swap you the EBS Multidrive for it straight up.

Fernando F · #10 11-01-2007, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by assboglin

You need to boost the bass a little bit. But this is expected, because a distortion circuit can not cut bottom, but have every appearance of it because of the added harmonics that give you more presence in the upper frequencies, which will cause you to turn down the volume, and with it the bass, to have the same perceived volume clean signal to distortion. With a little bass EQ boost from the pedal, your bass will be intact with the Xotic.

I mostly sold the Xotic because I needed money. I used to sell a lot of pedals to support a nasty drinking habit. I've quit drinking, so I haven't needed to sell the EBS, and I guess that's what it really comes down to. But for me I think that the EBS is the better choice because of how well it responds to different playing techniques, in my opinion, and my technique is quite varied. However, I would be very curious to give the Xotic another go round now that I'm sober hahaha.

They're both great pedals, but very different, so it comes down to personal preference. Ideally you should try both and see which one fits you better, but if you can't do that I can make you an offer. If you decide on the Xotic and after playing it don't like it I'll swap you the EBS Multidrive for it straight up.

I would be nice to try them both, but it´s impossible to find them here in Brazil, that´s why I´m asking for opinions! Untill now I´m very happy with all the pedals I ordered, never made a mistake, I think that I´m the only one in Brazil wich has a Fulltone Bass Driver, Aphex Punch Factory and the Barber LTD, but I had to ordered all of them without trying! I was very lucky until now! As I said I do like the samples of the Multidrive on the EBS website and I think the firt one in Standard mode and the firt one on Tube Sim is right for me!

assboglin · #11 11-01-2007, 03:37 PM

I really like like the standard mode of the EBS, that's what all my samples are done in. The tubesim is great too, but I can't get the John Paul Jones-esque sound they got with it on one of their samples with my rig. The flat mode is crap but with the other two modes, who needs it?

What kind of playing technique do you mostly use? For thumbstyle you'd be hard pressed to beat the EBS, though the Fulltone and Xotic have the edge for pickstyle playing, and you can get them all to work well with fingerstyle I think.

Rex Mundi · #12 11-01-2007, 04:10 PM

+1 for the Exotic. Its a great little pedal. Sounds great and easy to use.

ihateusernames · #13 11-01-2007, 04:14 PM

buy both used, compare, sell the one you don't care for as much. used gear doesn't lose much value in a couple of weeks!

fishtx · #14 11-01-2007, 04:24 PM

I haven't tried the Xotic BB Bass preamp...but the guitar version of their preamps are all fantastic...I want to try out the RC Bass preamp soon...

Fernando F · #15 11-02-2007, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by assboglin

I really like like the standard mode of the EBS, that's what all my samples are done in. The tubesim is great too, but I can't get the John Paul Jones-esque sound they got with it on one of their samples with my rig. The flat mode is crap but with the other two modes, who needs it?

What kind of playing technique do you mostly use? For thumbstyle you'd be hard pressed to beat the EBS, though the Fulltone and Xotic have the edge for pickstyle playing, and you can get them all to work well with fingerstyle I think.

I tend to play more fingerstyle and pickstyle, sometimes I do use some slapping and palm thumbing too. I play mostly rock and pop, check out my bands: www.myspace.com/rockintrio, www.myspace.com/dropoutbr and www.myspace.com/blacksheeppop.
My main basses are: Fender Jazz Bass Special 85 with Seymour Quater Pounds, Fender Jazz Bass 77, Fender Precision Lyte 2000, Tagima PRecision bass with EMG´s and Shelter Jazz Bass (75 replica) with Fender noiseless pickups. My amps: Ampeg B2-r with Gallien Krueger Cabinet (4x10) and a Hartke Kickback 12´that I use on small clubs.
It seams to me that the EBS on the standard mode retains the bottom end very well, almos untouchable, am I right?
One more thing I´d like to know: how is the bypass on the EBS? does it suck your tone?

Thanks again!!!

assboglin · #16 11-02-2007, 12:03 PM

In my experience with it, the EBS more than retains the bottom, it adds bottom, like I said, so especially on the higher gain settings I prefer it with an EQ to cut a little bass to bring it down to equal with the clean signal, otherwise you can get too much grunt and burliness in the low end I feel.

The bypass on the EBS isn't a true bypass, but it's dead silent and doesn't trouble me with tone suck. I'm not too troubled with tone suck in general because I don't normally use more than say, four pedals on my board, but I am confident in the quality of the construction and bypass on the EBS pedals.

Fernando F · #17 11-02-2007, 01:06 PM

Does anyone else notice some trouble with the bypass on the EBS? It´s important for me, otherwise I think it´s interesting to have buffer and true bypass pedal on the chain.
Xotic Sound Samples would be helpfull too!!!!!

Thanks guys! I´m still between the the two pedal but you are being very helpfull!

zippydog · #18 11-02-2007, 08:49 PM

Quote:

+1 for the Xotic. Its a great little pedal. Sounds great and easy to use.

+1

I have both the Xotic BB and the RC. I haven't tried the EBS boxes, but also have no interest. The Xotics are really nice.

Fernando F · #19 11-04-2007, 08:12 AM

I still haven´t found... XOTIC BB bass preamp Sound Samples!!!!
One more question that is important for me is if the Xotic works well with active basses! I know the Ebs has a swicth for active/passive!

Hey assboglin! this is one bass sound wich I love very much: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfDE-ZvfOwU
dou you think the Xotic can come close to this? Or would be easier to mimic this sound with the EBS?

assboglin · #20 11-04-2007, 04:36 PM

There aren't any Xotic BB Preamp sound samples floating around that I'm aware of besides the videos on the company's website, so don't count on finding any, I don't think you will.

Between the EBS and the Xotic BB, I'd say the BB will get you closer, but you can't count on coming anywhere near that sound with any pedal without the right gear and technique, or really any pedal period because the sound was probably not achieved with a pedal. No pedal is going to make you sound like John Entwistle, that custom guitar plays a huge role in the sound, not to mention the amp and John Entwistle himself. You see my point.